Hypnotherapy, Menopause and Perimenopause
Although it’s rare, perimenopause can begin in our late 30s. In fact I have met some women who went through the menopause in their early 30s. We often don’t really know what is happening to us – it can be a time of confusion, despair, misinformation and loss of sense of self.
Symptoms of perimenopause
Perimenopause can be a very disconcerting time. It can feel as though our bodes and brains are betraying us – we may no longer respond to what used to work for us in as we used to do. We can feel emotionally depleted, experience raging anger at others for no good reason other than that they are breathing too loudly. Our weight can fluctuate wildly from the norm and we no longer respond to diet and exercise as we did in our 20s. Our energy levels and patterns can shift dramatically and we can feel exhausted all day, relying on chocolate and caffeine to get us through the day and flop into bed exhausted, only to wake up at 3am with our brains wired and raring to go. We can cry for absolutely no reason. Anxiety levels can skyrocket. We can become obsessed with minor grievances. We can experience palpitations, shakes, tremors or “the jitters”, even if we’re fast asleep and have just woken up. We can struggle with terrible brain fog and find it hard to hold a conversation because we can’t remember what we’ve just said, even when we’re mid-sentence, let alone what someone else has said. We can rage against anyone and everyone else. We may smell different. Our ears can itch. We can have riduculously heavy periods or may miss them for months at a time. “Irregular periods” doesn’t quite capture it. We often feel bloated and can become rather farty! Oh, and the hot flashes? that’s the least of it!
In short, we can become so far removed from our former selves, become someone we no longer recognise. And nobody prepared us for this. In my mother’s day, the euphemism for menopause was “the change”. Boy, does that fall so far short of the mark as a description of what happens!!
When my perimenopause symptoms started showing up, my GP tried to prescribe me anti-depressant to cope with the mood swings, emotional lability, disturbed sleep and palpitations. Fortunately, as a mental health professional, I knew this wasn’t the answer, but some women don’t have that knowledge or background.
What is menopause
Menopause itself is simply a moment in time, it is simply that moment when you have not
had a period for more than 12 months. Simple.
But the symptoms of perimenopause can continue for years – they just become part of life.
Not surprisingly, women can be left feeling isolated from themselves and others. It can be a time of confusion, loss of sense of self, low mood, insecurity, anxiety and grief.
It’s not surprising that many of us turn to modern medicine to help us to cope – HRT, anti-depressants, anti-anxiolytics, hypnotics. Some of us may even self-medicate to cope. But if none of that quite cuts it for you, or if you would prefer to be drug-free, hypnotherapy may just be the answer you’re looking for.
Hypnotherapy can help you cope with perimenopause symptoms
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Many of the symptoms described above are caused by fluctuating hormone levels. It’s generally accepted that adolescents will struggle with all the above because of their hormones, but we rarely think about that applying to us in later life. These rapidly changing hormone levels are guaranteed to put us into fight or flight mode, and the weight gain, sleep disturbance, palpitations, jitters, cravings, exhaustion, emotional lability, anger, low mood and anxiety can mainly be attributed to high levels of cortisol and adrenaline, the stress hormones.
Hypnotherapy helps by gently moving you from that fight or flight mode and back into your intellectual brain, where you’re more able to cope with the challenges of life, feel happier, sleep better, control your cravings, and feel more like your old self.
I’d love to help you regain that inner confidence, self-love and happiness. If you’re ready, why not book an appointment with me to learn more?